Die Craft Machining & Engineering

04/11/2026

Today at Lawrenceburg Speedway, we come together again to honor Justin Owen.

The memorial race and trophy are a way to pause, reflect, and remember—but the truth is, Justin isn’t someone we think about just once a year. He’s part of the everyday at Die Craft. In the conversations, in the shop, in the way we handle challenges, and in the way we show up for each other.

Being part of building this trophy each year is an honor. It’s not just about creating something that looks good on race night—it’s about putting real thought, effort, and meaning into something that represents a guy who left a lasting impact on everyone around him.

This year’s trophy was once again a team effort, and we want to specifically recognize Joe Rouse and JC Caseltine for their work bringing it together. Also, a big thank you to Michael Parks of GZERO Additive for the third year of collaboration helping make this thing what it is.

The race is a moment. The trophy is a symbol. But the memory—and the impact—last all year.

04/01/2026

Today marks 26 years since Skip took ownership of Die Craft — and his story is now featured on the Machine Shop Mastery podcast.

It’s a great listen covering his journey, the origins of Die Craft, and how the company has evolved over the years.

What stands out most is Skip’s humility — recognizing that the success of Die Craft isn’t his alone, but the result of a team that’s grown and built it together.

Proud to be part of that story.

Take a listen and hear it for yourself.

Podcast Episode · Machine Shop Mastery · April 1 · 1h 2m

03/07/2026

When the Woodlawn Fire Department needed repairs to their aluminum ladders, we were proud to step up.

This wasn’t a simple weld-and-go job. We had to learn and follow specialized procedures for removing and reinstalling ladder rungs to ensure the ladders met safety standards and performed exactly as intended. When firefighters climb, there’s no room for “close enough.”

Our team put in the extra effort so they can focus on what matters most — protecting our community.

It’s a small contribution on our end, but it supports people who take on big risks every day.
Proud of our crew. Proud to support our public servants. 🇺🇸

03/05/2026

Due to loss of power the shop will be closed today at 10:00AM. We expect to be back up tomorrow morning at regular time.

03/02/2026

There are moments in manufacturing when you either say, “That’s outside our wheelhouse,” or you roll up your sleeves and build a bigger wheelhouse.

I’m proud to say our team chose the second option.

We recently took on two large jobs — one heavy turning application on our Romi lathe and one large-format milling project on our Haas VF9 — that pushed us right up against our physical limits. Big parts. Significant mass. Tight tolerances. Not the kind of work you casually “make fit.”

Instead of backing away, the team engineered a solution.

They designed and built a custom steady rest solution to properly support these parts. This dual-purpose piece of equipment stabilizes turning operations on our big lathe while also supporting the workpiece and controlling deflection during milling. Not something we pulled off a shelf. Not something we ordered from a catalog. Something we conceived, designed, machined, assembled, then proved out in-house.

That’s the part I’m most proud of.

It would have been easier to say no. It would have been comfortable to stay inside the lines. But growth in manufacturing doesn’t happen inside comfort zones. It happens when machinists, programmers, and engineers collaborate and ask, “How do we make this possible?”

This is what capability expansion really looks like:

• Creative problem solving
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Owning the outcome
• Investing sweat equity to serve the customer

The steady rest itself is impressive. What it represents is even bigger — a culture that refuses to be boxed in by yesterday’s limitations.

To the team: thank you for pushing boundaries, challenging assumptions, and proving once again that we’re not just making parts — we’re building capability.

That’s how you stretch a shop. That’s how you serve customers at the highest level.

02/18/2026

Last month I had the opportunity to sit down with Paul Van Metre on the Manufacturing Transformed podcast to share the Die Craft story.

We talked about what it really looks like to modernize a high-mix, low-volume shop… while protecting tribal knowledge, navigating retirements, and pushing for growth at the same time. No highlight reel — just the journey.

I’m proud of how far our team has come. What started as an ERP implementation became a full operational transformation — improving capacity, visibility, accountability, and confidence in our numbers.

It was an honor to share our experience with Paul and with fellow manufacturers who are in the trenches every day just like we are.

If you’re in this industry and thinking about what the next phase of your shop looks like, this conversation is for you.

Podcast Episode · Manufacturing Transformed: Real Shops, Real Stories · 02/17/2026 · 1h 3m

01/26/2026

🚨 First Look! New to Us Machine. More Muscle. Same Die Craft Reliability. 🚨

We’re installing a horizontal machining center with multi-pallet automation - a major investment that expands our capacity, flexibility, and ability to deliver when it matters most.

What this means for our customers:
✅ Faster lead times with reduced spindle downtime
✅ More capacity to support growing demand
✅ Improved efficiency across multiple SKUs and repeat work
✅ Stronger schedule reliability, even during peak periods

This system allows us to machine parts while the next job is staged—keeping spindles turning and projects moving. It’s another step in our long-term commitment to building a shop that’s ready for what’s next.

If you have upcoming programs, changing volumes, or parts that have historically been constrained by capacity or lead time, let’s take another look—with this new capability in play.

📈 More uptime. More throughput. More options.

01/25/2026

Die Craft will be closed Monday January 26th. We will resume regular operations on Tuesday January 27th.

01/02/2026

Big congrats to Bob!

Bob was one of nine hourly employees who made it through all of 2025 with perfect attendance — no tardies, no call-offs, no excuses.
Those nine were thrown into the Wheel of Names, and after a three-round showdown, Bob came out on top and took home the $250 prize.

Showing up still matters — and Bob proved it. 👏💪

12/23/2025

The machines are finally going quiet, the chips are swept (mostly), and it’s time to give the welders, mills, and lathes a short break.

Big thanks to our customers who keep us busy, our vendors who bail us out when we need it, and the Die Craft crew who show up every day and make parts.

Enjoy the downtime, eat like you earned it, and try not to think about tolerances for a few days.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Die Craft. We’ll be back after the holidays ready to hit cycle start. 🎄⚙️

12/19/2025

🎄✨ Annual Christmas Party = success! ✨🎄
We wrapped up the week the right way today at Dave & Buster’s—good food, laughs, games, and even better company. It’s always a reminder that what makes this place special isn’t the machines or the numbers… it’s the people.

Grateful for this crew, the families who support them, and another strong year behind us. Now it’s officially the holiday season—let the fun (and beating Skip at the racing games) continue! 🎮🍻
Merry Christmas from all of us! 🎅🎁